Alexander Duff (Royal Navy officer)

Sir Alexander Duff
Born20 February 1862
Knockleith, Aberdeenshire
Died22 November 1933 (1933-11-23) (aged 71)
London, United Kingdom
AllegianceUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Service / branch Royal Navy
Years of service1875–1925
RankAdmiral
CommandsChina Station
Battles / warsWorld War I
AwardsKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
Legion of Honour, Commander
Distinguished Service Medal (United States)

Admiral Sir Alexander Ludovic Duff GCB, GBE, KCVO (20 February 1862 – 22 November 1933) was a Royal Navy officer who served as Commander-in-Chief, China Station.

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The Royal Navy in the Home Waters, 1914-1918 Q19398
Admiral Duff at Weihaiwei in 1920

Duff joined the Royal Navy as a Midshipman in 1875.[1] He was promoted Commander in 1897, and served in command of the destroyer HMS Bat in home waters from January 1898 to January 1900. In March that year, he was posted to HMS Excellent for senior officers' gunnery course at the gunnery school based there.[2] He was promoted to captain on 31 December 1902,[3] and to rear-admiral in 1913. In 1905 he was appointed Naval Assistant to the Controller of the Navy. In 1909, he was given command of HMS Temeraire. He was Director of the Mobilisation Division at the Admiralty from 1912 through the start of the war. He served in World War I as Rear-Admiral (Second-in-Command) of the 4th Battle Squadron from 1914 to 1916, taking part in the Battle of Jutland in 1916, where he flew his flag in HMS Superb. He was transferred to the Fourth Battle Squadron after Jutland.[1]

He then became Director of the new Anti-Submarine Division at the end of 1916. Like the First Sea Lord, Admiral Jellicoe, Duff initially opposed the use of convoys.[4] However, his efforts greatly reduced the destruction caused by the "underwater menace".[5] In 1917 he became Assistant Chief of Naval Staff and then, from 1919, Commander-in-Chief, China Station. He retired in 1925.[1]

Family

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In 1886, he married his first cousin Janet Douglas Duff; they had two daughters.[1] In 1924 he married Alice Marjorie Hill-Whitson; they had no children.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Duff, Alexander Ludovic". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/32917. Retrieved 14 February 2022. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36096. London. 22 March 1900. p. 11.
  3. ^ "No. 27512". The London Gazette. 2 January 1903. p. 3.
  4. ^ Grigg 2002, p50
  5. ^ Obituary: Admiral Sir Alexander Duff The Sydney Morning Herald, 24 November 1933
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Books

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  • Grigg, John. Lloyd George: War Leader, 1916–1918 Allen Lane, London 2002 ISBN 0-713-99343-X
Military offices
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief, China Station
1919–1922 		Succeeded by
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